(Gentian family)

• Medicinal / Folk-medicinal aspects: Occasional references to the traditional use of various species in the treatment of skin ailments appear in the literature, with boils and infected lesions being mentioned most commonly. •
• Adverse effects: Several members of the genus Anthocleista Afzel. ex R.Br. bear thorns that are capable of causing mechanical injury. The bark or sapwood of certain Fagraea Thunb. species is reportedly irritant and may cause occupational dermatitis in the lumber trade. •
• Veterinary aspects: •

Following a reorganisation by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2003), the family now includes about 1740 species in 99 genera (Stevens 2001-2019), incorporating species previously classified in the Chironiaceae, Coutoubeaceae, Loganiaceae, Obolariaceae, Potaliaceae, and Saccifoliaceae. Mabberley (2008) recognised only 1600 species in 85 genera. The plants are of worldwide distribution, but are especially numerous in temperate and sub-tropical regions. The principal genera are Exacum L. (69 spp.), Fagraea Thunb. (60 spp.), Gentiana L. (361 spp.), Gentianella Moench (200 spp.), Halenia Borkh. (70 spp.), Macrocarpaea (106 spp.), Sebaea Sol. ex R.Br. (60 spp.), and Swertia L. (150 spp.).

The dried fermented underground parts of the great yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea L.) and closely related species are the source of the crude drug Gentianae Radix, which is official in several pharmacopoeias. It is used as a bitter (Trease & Evans 1966, Reynolds 1996). In Chinese traditional medicine, the crude drug is known as Long Dan Cao, but will be more usually derived from the scabrous gentian (Gentiana scabra Bunge).

Many are to be found in cultivation as ornamentals, members of the genera Centaurium Hill, Chironia L., Eustoma Salisb., Exacum L., and Gentiana L. being most widely grown (Hunt 1968/70).

Anthocleista Afzel. ex R.Br.

Cabbage Tree, Fever Tree, Forest Big-Leaf, Murderer's Mat

According to Mabberley (2008), the genus comprises about 50 species of trees found in tropical Africa, Madagascar, and the Mascarene Islands. The genus has in the past been classified in the Potaliaceae and in the Loganiaceae. The Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2003) has now placed the genus in the Gentianaceae.

Menninger (1967) asserted that nearly all have vicious forking thorns, adding that at a certain stage in their development, they lose their bark and leaves but retain their thorns on the trunk and come to resemble a thorny naked pole. The following species are representative (Sonibare et al. 2007); the wider literature suggests that the thorns are not always present:

Foti et al. (2014) reported a case of occupational hand dermatitis and a faint scaling erythema on the forearms and face in a 50-year old retail floriculturalist. The patient's work involved the culture and arranging of only one particular kind of flower, namely the lisianthus. His eczema started in the year in which he started to work with the flower. Patch tests with the flower, leaf and stalk "as is" showed positive results. No reactions were observed in 10 healthy control subjects.

This tree provides a commercial timber known variously as anan, Burma yellowheart, dolo, ironwood, kingwood, tembusu, temesu, and by many other names.

Kochummen (1972) noted that the tree is known to produce dermatitis in Malaya. He may have been referring to a report by Hon (1967) that described how several men suffered recurrent irritation of exposed skin when sawing a recently cut log with its bark on; the heartwood, when sawed, caused no irritation. Woods & Calnan (1976) citing Großmann (1920) noted that an irritating alkaloid has reportedly been extracted from the wood.

Chireta, Chirayata, East Indian Balmony, Indian Gentian, Swertie de l'Inde

[Information available but not yet included in database]

Tachia guianensis Aublet

(syns Myrmecia scandens Willd., Myrmecia tachia J.Gmelin)

[Information available but not yet included in database]

References

Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2003) An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG II. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 141(4): 399-436 [doi][url][url-2]